Gomphus pulchellus is fairly common in France, Belgium, part of The Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, as well as in the southwestern half of Iberia. It has been expanding during the last half of the century in most of its northern and eastern range. It is not threatened and is assessed as Least Concern in the region.

Gomphus pulchellus is an European endemic species ranging from the whole of Iberia to the western half of Germany, western Austria and Switzerland. Isolated records from Italy refer to vagrants, the records from Croatia and Slovakia might be erroneous or vagrants.

Gomphus pulchellus reproduces in all kinds of slow and moderately flowing and standing waters, avoiding strong currents. It reproduces also in some peat bogs up to 1,500 m above sea level. It is most common in slow lowland rivers and their backwaters and abandoned gravel pits. The larvae occupy sandy patches, which may be covered with coarse detritus. The adults are found sometimes far from their breeding habitats.